Posts Tagged ‘Event’

Event and wedding planners spend a lot of time planning to ensure that everything goes right on the day-of. However, they’re not always prepared for what can go wrong. When you plan and plan for something to go smoothly and perfectly, you often spend all your time focusing on things going right and forget about the possibility of something going wrong. In this post, we talk about the 3 things that can go wrong at a wedding – and how to recover.

1. The Timeline Goes Out the Window
A timeline is crucial to nearly any event, especially a wedding. With so many people involved and so many vendors, start times, end times, and typically at least one location change – keeping on schedule is important. So what happens when the timeline goes out the window? Maybe the bride arrives at the ceremony location 30 minutes late because she was held up in traffic. Maybe the groom’s tux just wasn’t fitting and a last minute replacement needed to be found. No matter what the cause, it’s all too easy for the timeline to be thrown off. A delay as short as 30 minutes can throw off the entire day, particularly when cocktail hour starts at X hour and the dinner reception starts at Y hour. When something does go wrong, however, you’ve got to be prepared.

The moment you realize something is going to take longer than anticipated, you need to alert anyone who may be affected. This means contacting the caterer, the day-of coordinator, the entertainment, and anyone else. Unfortunately, this might mean your client has to spend some extra money keeping the staff there longer (if they’ve agreed to a certain hourly limit or hourly fee). Giving others notice that a delay is in progress, however, will allow for the emcee to announce the short delay and the time to be filled with something else – like a game, contest, dance, or otherwise.

2. A Vendor is MIA
There’s plenty you can do to ensure everyone arrives on time and prepared, but it’s always possible that someone may go off the grid and become unreachable. You’ll need to get in touch a week before, a night before, and the day-of with nearly every vendor – from the caterer and cake shop to the entertainment and decorator. However, sometimes they simply don’t answer their phones. That’s why it’s always best to have someone on-call. When you’re researching and locking down vendors, make sure to have a short list of potential back-ups. Send a friendly email letting them know you’re looking for a back-up, to get an idea for availability. If they’re not available, keep on moving. Often, companies will charge a surcharge for having to show up with very little notice. Be prepared for this, just in case. Your client will be impressed by your organizational skills and management abilities. As always, be sure to get everything down in writing and with both parties’ signatures prior to paying any sort of fee.

3. The Bride or Groom Gets Cold Feet
This problem is in nearly every wedding movie, and is almost always the subject of at least one joke or comment leading up to the big day. It’s a tough situation for anyone involved, and incredibly stressful for the wedding planner. Be sure to have someone nearby that is emotionally supportive, encouraging, and not overly biased to either side of the party – meaning you shouldn’t send the groom’s best friend to convince the bride or the bride’s older sister to convince the groom. Someone who can encourage without assigning blame or making the person feel guilty is who you want to involve in this sort of situation. That is, if you can’t handle it yourself. Sometimes, all the person needs is the planner to give them a gently nudge and to let them know “this is normal” and you “see it all the time”.

Sometimes, it’s a little more complicated and there’s history and back-story to the nervous feelings, and someone aside from you will be better handling it. Whichever the case, be sure to let the person know that how they are feeling isn’t necessarily about who they are about to marry, but the fact they’re about to get married. It’s a nerve-wracking process and often the first time they’ve had to be in front of a hundred or so people with all the focus on them, and they shouldn’t confuse their nerves or the pressure of the day with how they feel about their significant other.

Are there any other things you think could go wrong at a wedding? Leave them in a comment so we can do our best to provide you with some easy, quick solutions. To learn more about wedding planning, be sure to visit QC Event School and check out its Wedding Planning course today.

Our memories and mental associations can drastically alter how we feel about a particular color. Some hues have an intense power to recall sounds, smells, textures, and other sensations. These sensations can cause feelings of intimidation, comfort, happiness, nostalgia, and just about anything else. Often, these associations lead individuals to choose favorite and least favorite colors and/or combinations. Common color preferences and interpretations have led to the following affects of colors on people and their moods.

Red

Red is the color of expression and stimulation. It’s exciting, dramatic, and emotional. Red has the power to warm and stimulate the body and mind, and creates a lot of energy. Red has been known to raise blood pressure, make breathing more rapid, and enhance brain activity. Red is widely considered to be the boldest color choice as it demands visual attention. Passion, fire and romance are all linked to red. It’s the color of the ego and life. Depending on its placement and the environment in which it is present, red can feel youthful, impulsive and intense or grounding and secure.

Rage, confrontation, blood, aggression and ferocity are also associated with red. Appetites are sparked by this color, so it can be a good choice for a dining space or reception. Red also affects motor skills and concentration levels, so it can be a good decor choice for a dance hall or an event at which you’d like to keep guests up, active, and mingling. Historically, red is a color associated with kings and other forms of royalty, and can be combined with certain other colors to create an elegant, formal, and opulent effect.

Orange

Orange represents warmth, nature, richness, and excitement. Orange is associated with decision-making, realism, and optimism. Orange is related to the circulatory and nervous system. It is a warm color that generates upbeat group gatherings and is one of the most fun and invigorating colors of all.

Orange has a tendency to make people feel hurried or rushed, so it may be a poor choice as the primary color for an event at which you’d like guests to feel at ease and stay for a while, such as a wedding reception. However, it can be used as an accent color in order to leverage its upbeat effect without causing feelings of restlessness.

Yellow

Yellow is a happy, joyful color and is commonly associated with the positive feelings of a bright, sunny day. Yellow is associated with hope, energy, and positivity. Yellow has the power to dispel the gloom of winter weather or the dreary darkness of rainy days. Yellow slightly raises the pulse rate and blood pressure, but not nearly to same extent as red.

Yellow helps people feel more open, and encourages conversation and mingling. These traits make it a popular choice for parties and dinners so conversation lasts the whole event. Yellow can be one of the most fatiguing colors for the eye to see, especially brighter versions such as lemon yellow and neon. For this reason, it’s often used as an accent color rather than a primary color, or at events with a younger crowd so as to avoid as much eye strain as possible.

Green

Green has strong associations with growth, spring, nature, and renewal. It fosters feelings of balance, nurturing, support, and is also associated with freshness, beginnings, and peace. Green is a fresh, vital, lively, youthful, and renewing color overall. It has also long been the color primarily associated with healing and health, hence its popular uses in hospitals. While green is often used when speaking of envy, it’s not actually associated with such a feeling within color psychology.

Green can cause or amplify inspiration, feelings of fulfillment, and happiness. It can be use within a space to calm personal anxieties, encourage openness, and promote active listening and great conversation. Green is the easiest colors for the eye to see, so it’s a good choice for an event at which guests will be for a long period of time – such as a conference, banquet, or other reception.

Blue

Blue represents wisdom, trust and loyalty. It encourages guests to recall the tranquility of water and intense depth of the ocean. Blue is often associated with spirituality and religion. People tend to feel that blue is clean, crisp, and airy – making it a good choice for a smaller space as it will make it feel larger. Blue is the color of relaxation and is widely known for its dreamy, soothing presence when used in an interior space. It lowers the heart rate, pulse rate, and breathing rate, so it can make people feel cooler. This is great for a hot, summer day but may feel too cold at a winter event.

Lighter blues can be soothing, calming, and airy whereas darker, more saturated blues can create feelings of intensity, depth, and strength. Depending on the event you’re decorating and the intended goal, you may wish to use a light, less saturated blue or a dark and full bodied blue.

Violet

Violet, often referred to as “purple”, is commonly associated with wealth, royalty, dignity, luxury, sophistication, magic, and imagination. Lighter shades of purple can easily create a feeling of whimsical mysticism, where as darker, moody purples can create a dramatic and warm environment. Violet tends to be a color favored mainly by artists and more creative types, but also caters to those looking to achieve a regal and luxurious setting. It has a place in nearly any event’s color scheme, from showers and birthday parties to weddings and product launches. Violet can become overwhelming in large doses, but rich and luxurious when used in moderation.

White

White can be viewed as crisp, clean and cool or as sterile, cold and distant. It can incite feelings of freshness and energy, but can also make people feel closed-off, less talkative, and even anxious. White’s most popular association is likely with snow, leading it to feeling cool – particularly when paired with blue, grey or purple. Pairing white with green, yellow, or orange will give a warmer, brighter effect. In many cultures, white is associated with goodness, faith and purity – hence its choice as the most common wedding dress color.

Black

Black is most famously known as the color of death, mourning, oblivion, and mystery. It is also known to be a solid, grounding, and stabilizing color, and has become very popular in recent decades within events’ color schemes. In large amounts, black can feel heavy and oppressive. As an accent or in moderation, however, black can lend a feeling of formality, sophistication, and class. Black easily creates a sense of drama and interest, making it a popular choice for evening events, masquerades, and other romantic yet intriguing environments.

Stephanie Hammermeister is still a student of QC Event School, but she’s already well on her way to industry success. She owns and operates her own wedding and event planning business, Memory Lane Events LLC. Stephanie believes in lifelong learning, and is using all the new skills she is gaining in her Event and Wedding Planning course toward her growing business. Read on to learn about her event planning career and her advice for anyone looking to start their own.

Below, Stephanie tells us how she got to where she is today, and reflects on the best parts of her career so far. She also shares some photos of her work…and they are absolutely beautiful. We’re so happy and proud to share her work with you this month. If you would like to learn more about Stephanie’s company, be sure to check out her website and Facebook page.

What motivated you to start your career as a professional event and wedding planner?

From early adolescence straight into adulthood, basketball had been my passion, my outlet, and my whole heart! So as you can imagine, the transition from tomboy to girly girl was certainly life changing. The idea of becoming a professional wedding and event planner was always an immense interest of mine (even while in uniform), but falling in love had ultimately become my motivation to pursue a career in the field. My journey to the altar grew to be my first project in the creation of Memory Lane Events LLC. After receiving wonderful feedback on preparation, design, decor, and execution, I made a decision to become more involved in the industry.

I was given a wonderful internship opportunity by a gracious wedding planner out of the San Diego region. In that position, I learned helpful skills and beginner techniques which provided a great foundation to begin my personal path for success. The enormous support of my caring husband, wonderful family, and gracious followers is all of the motivation and inspiration that I need for continual success.

What are some highlights of your career so far?

One of the many highlights I have received in my career thus far has been the remarkable feedback and generous gestures from my previous clients and other professionals in the business. The industry is competitive yet rewarding all the same. It has been a privilege to work alongside several successful professionals who I admire dearly. However the finest highlight, I must say, is bestowing emotions of peace, happiness, and bliss upon my clients in a monumental moment of their life’s journey, no matter how large or small.

How did your course prepare you for working in the field?

Still currently enrolled in the coursework, I have become more knowledgeable in the logistical aspects of wedding and event planning. I am eager to become more educated as I continue through each unit.

Do you have any advice for anyone starting out with their training or career?

It takes a lot of hard work to embark on your own business and you want to be sure that you are as prepared as possible. With that being said, the best advice I can offer those in training or beginning their careers is to always be open to educating themselves further! Even the best-of-the-best in the business are always continuing to learn. In my opinion, when you’ve become complacent you’ve stopped learning and when you stop learning, you become fearful of change. Change is one of the most common factors in a successful business. You have to be able to adapt to the change of our society’s needs and wants while still remaining true to who you are as an individual and as a business.

Running a business, like anything, takes a great deal of sacrifice and special attention. You need to continually motivate yourself and those around you every day in a positive manner. When you are dedicated to something you’re passionate about, you can never fail!

Every year we see new trends appear in the wedding industry and this year, some of the loveliest are being created with paper! Stationery plays an integral part in setting the tone for our clients’ weddings. The style, quality, color palette, and motifs can be carried throughout the various pieces to provide continuity to these special events. In the fall of 2012, we saw the chevron pattern take hold as the latest and greatest in wedding stationery designs. That has segued into other attractive motifs, and we’ve continued to see geometric patterns in designs (such as the honeycomb pattern) – the effect is certainly bold. Now that 2013 is well underway, we’re seeing three new stationery trends that really excite me: the die cut pattern, hot foil printing, and calligraphy. Read on to learn more about stationery trends in 2013.

Die cut patterns

Die cut invitations are all the rage and are probably the strongest direction we are seeing in stationery this year. As you can see below, die cut patterns range from the most romantic lace motifs to edgy modern bold typesets. Die cutting creates a 3D effect which adds to the visual interest and tactile feel of the various pieces to which it is applied. Die cut paper shapes are made using a steel cutting die. It can be used to punch out decorative shapes or patterns within a larger piece, or it can be used to create the primary shape by cutting the entire sheet of paper in a distinct way. The process is very similar to that used in creating letterpress designs. And needless to say, with as popular as die cut is this year, it is not reserved for invitations only! You will find it used in other paper products such as save-the-dates, table numbers, and even cake plateau edging, as seen below. Lovely, isn’t it?Hot foil printing

The second trend that I’m seeing a lot of this year in stationery is hot foil printing. This technique is achieved by combining heat and pressure to the paper to create a letterpress look with added color. The designs are turned into a metal block that is headed to a certain temperature and then applied to the piece to create a foiled image pressed into the paper. Gold and silver seem to be the most popular colors this year which makes sense, since metallics are prominent in other areas of wedding decor. However, hot foiling is available in other colors as well!

Calligraphy

Finally, and probably my favorite invitation trend this year, is the calligraphic design. We are seeing various scripted fonts in all forms of stationary, as shown in the example below. In a previous article, I told you that the Millennial generation is big on hosting and personalizing their weddings – so, creating a personal touch using handwritten calligraphic fonts is likely not too surprising! I’ve spoken with local calligraphers, and they too are seeing an increase in demand for their talent within our industry. Even I have jumped on the band wagon and recently purchased a Lamy fountain pen with which to write company thank you letters. Now I just have to remember how to hand write after years of typing on a keyboard!

As you know, trends come and go in this industry, and there are always some I’m glad to see arrive and others that I’m glad to see exit. I love the designs that I’m seeing in stationery this year and hope you are excited by them as well! Leave us a comment and let us know what you think about the hottest stationery trends of 2013.